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There are 4 Types of Zoom in Security Cameras

Everything you learned about security cameras from watching CSI is wrong.

Let's start with an image of a scene outside our warehouse

This image was taken at 4mm setting. The camera we used has a 75 degree angle of view at 4mm.

Pay attention to the power box that is down the hill from the red car. We're going to zoom in on it with different types and levels of zoom.

Main Category #1 - Digital Zoom

Every Camera we carry has digital zoom - Even the ones with optical zoom.

Digital zoom's main benefit is that you can Zoom In after the video is recorded, but the picture will appear more pixelated as you zoom in more. There's no limit to how much you can zoom in digitally, but our NVRs stop you after a little while, because it isn't super useful.

This is 20X digital zoom

Digital Zoom feels like it works better with higher resolution cameras.

Because digital zoom makes this pixels larger, starting with more pixels makes the image less blurry. 4MP cameras are 2x the quality of 1080P, so you can zoom in 2x and have it look and feel like HD 1080P. 4K cameras are 4x the quality of 1080P, so you can zoom in 4x and have look and feel like HD 1080P.

Main Category #2 - Optical Zoom

This is 20X optical zoom

The Binoculars Example

You have used optical zoom before. When you twist a pair of binoculars, you are physically moving the lens further or closer to the optical sensor (in this case, your eye). The closer it is the wider your angle of view and the more zoomed out things look. The further the lens is from your eye (the optical sensor), the more narrow your field of view and the more zoomed in things appear.

This is what camera are described as having a "4mm lens:" the lens is 4mm away from the image sensor.

The Advantages of Optical Zoom

The picture will remain clear as you zoom in optically.

Optical zoom gives you effective surveillance from long distance. You can see smaller details from further away (faces, license plates).

The Disadvantages of Optical Zoom

As you zoom in, you sacrifice a wide view.

Zooming with Optical zoom magnifies and narrows your field of view: when looking the 20x optical zoom view above the power box will be the only thing can see. You would not know the man with the rock is even there, as he is outside of your field of view. There's a per-camera mechanical limit on how much you can zoom in.

You can't zoom in optically after the video is recorded. You must zoom in before / during.

Let's look at that scene again at 1x zoom

Now, Let's look at that scene with 4x zoom

This image shows the how your field of view changes from a 1x zoom camera to a 4x optical zoom camera

There are 3 Types of Optical Zoom and They Differ by When you can Zoom In

Subcategory #1: Vari-focal Lenses (Lenses that you can Adjust the Level of Zoom In-Person)

You operate a varifocal lens by turning a knob, inside the case of the camera case, you can adjust the level of zoom and viewing angle. optical zoom
This means that you can only adjust the level of zoom in person and when the camera is taken out of its waterproof enclosure, like so:

With Vari-focal lenses, you adjust the level of optical zoom when you mount the camera on the wall / hang it from the ceiling or soffit.

Because you can only adjust the level of zoom when the camera is, at least, partially disassembled, you will need to adjust the level of zoom BEFORE you record.

Subcategory #2: Motorized Vari-focal Lenses (Lenses that you can Adjust the Level of Zoom Remotely)

You operate a motorized varifocal lens by clicking on a button on your NVR or surveillance app. This means that you can zoom in WHILE the video is being recorded, but the camera itself does not move around. You will be limited to where you have pointed the camera.

Cameras with motorized optical zoom can be adjusted via the on-screen controls on your NVR or app:

Subcategory #3: PTZ Lenses (Pan, Tilt, Zoom)

PTZ cameras are fully motorized. You can change where the camera is pointed and the level of zoom. Most PTZ cameras can pan around 360 degrees, tit up to 90 degrees, and zoom in more than any other type of camera.

How much zoom do I need?

The first image is 2.8 mm (1x zoom), the second at 4x zoom, the third is at 20x, and the last is at 30x zoom. The dumpster is about 150 feet from the camera.

A good rule of thumb is that if you want to ID someone at 100 feet, you need at least 4x zoom. If you want to ID someone at 200 ft, you need 20x, and if you need to recognize someone at 250 ft, you need 30x zoom.

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